Total Energies awards startups
Total Energies Botswana, a leading petroleum marketer and distributor, is committed to advancing the country’s entrepreneurship spirit by providing effective and tangible solutions, which in turn could help stimulate generation of new ideas.
The Managing Director of the company, Onward Tubela, highlighted the above when officiating at the award ceremony of Total Energies Start Upper Challengean innovative competition for upcoming entrepreneurs across African operations. Total Energies launched the initiative in 2015 with the objective of imploring young
Africans across the continent to submit project proposals on why their entrepreneurial idea deserves to receive the attention and support of the group.
According to Tubela, the Total Energies Start Upper Challenge is one of the results of various efforts that uplift youth of communities within which they operate. “As with all initiatives we embark on, we ensure to continually adhere to global ethical standards as well as with the United Nations ( UN) agenda for Sustainable Development,” he said on Tuesday.
Furthermore, the Total Energies Startup Challenge aims to contribute to the development of the local economic environment, promotion of local roots through local challenges and depicts the company’s commitment to local entrepreneurship. “The challenge also encourages young companies to integrate environmental and societal dimensions such as the inclusion of women, into their business.”
Meanwhile, speaking at the event, Minister of Entrepreneurship, Karabo Gare, heaped praises on Total Energies Group for its commitment to supporting the socio- economic development of the country, by continuing to include Botswana in the promotion of citizen entrepreneurship and business linkages.
“As government, we are continuously on the lookout for opportunities which present purposeful and innovative ways of engaging with the private sector to discuss and formulate productive partnerships that support socio- economic needs,” said Gare who is the inaugural Minister for the new ministry.
Total Energies continue to be influential in the strengthening of our social fabric, by offering support to innovative entrepreneurs in the realization of their projects, said Gare. This is evidenced by the recurring Start Upper Challenge, which directly and indirectly encourages youth across numerous African countries to simultaneously encourage commercial continuity and ownership of viable and sustainable businesses.
The Start Upper Challenge is open to African entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age who either have a business creation project or a start- up that is under three years old and with the 3rd edition having received just under 35,000 applications from participating nations.
During the ceremony, Moabi Mmualefhe was awarded the best creation project award, Martin Moatshe walked away with ‘ the best start- up under three years. Bame Rrammala was voted the best female entrepreneur.